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FT 24 AUTOMATIC SPRINKLER

CONTROLS, GAUGES AND ALARM


OBJECTIVE 1. To explain the controls, gauges and alarm of the automatic sprinkler system.

REFERENCE 2. Manual of Fireman Ship Book 9.

CONTENTS 3. Introduction. Stop Valves. Typical layouts for wet and alternate wet and dry pipe system have already been given. The main stop valve, which is fitted to all installations, enables the water to be cut off after the fire has been extinguished in order to reduce water damage and to permit the actuated heads to be removed and replaced by a hand wheel. All stop valves is of the gate valve type, operated by a hand wheel. All stop valves be right-handed (i.e. they must be shut be rotating clockwise). And their hand wheels must be marked to show the direction in which the wheel must be turned to shut the valve. An indication must be fitted which will show whether the valve is open or shut. In order to prevent unauthorized and to guard against accidental closure, main stop valves are secured in the fully-open position with open position with a strap which can be but in case of necessity. 4. It in a rule of the Fire Officers Committee that a plan showing the position of the main stop valves must be placed with the building, so that it can be seen easily by firemen or others responding to a call. In addition, a location plate must be fixed on the outside of an external wall, as near to the main stop valve as possible, bearing the following words in raised or other approved letters (Fig. 4.1).

SPRINKLER STOP VALVE INSIDE

Fig 4.1: One Type of Sprinkler Location Plate (It Is Recommended That the Words Be White On Black Background)

5. The main stop valve must be placed close to an entrance to the premises, preferably a main entrance in such a location as to be always readily an accessible to authorized persons. It must be secured in the open position by a padlocked or riveted strap, and adequately protected from the action of frost. In addition to the main stop valve forming part of the installation control valve assembly, each supply to the system is fitted with a stop valve.

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6. Subsidiary stop valves, i.e. above the alarm valve, controlling sections of an installation (for instance, sections of a wet system exposed to frost, such as catwalks, loading places, outside hoists, outside staircases and gangways) which are capable of being shut off and disused during winter months, are only permitted when the area controlled by the secondary stop valve does not exceed 100 m. Suitable drainage facilities must also be provided. 7. Subsidiary stop valves may also be used certain sections of a sprinkler installation, such an to facilitate the testing of a dry pipe valve, when a system is permanently on the dry system, or to control sprinklers on a tail-end dry pipe system. The valves are of the interlocking key type. When the valves are closed, the key in readily visible. 8. Non-Return Valves. The principle upon which a non-return valve works is shown in detail in Fig 4.2. Water can pass through the valve only in the direction of the arrows by raising the clack valve. Any tendency to cause a flow of water in the reverse direction forces the clack valve on to its seating and so closes the valve. 9. Each water supply must be fitted with such a valve, unless there in only a single connection for the installation, when a non-return valve is unnecessary. A few water undertakings insist on the provision of a non-return valve on a single town main connection as an additional safeguard against the return of water from a sprinkler installation into the main. Non-return valves may be placed near the main stop valve, but are most frequently found close to the supply stop valve at the point of entry of the supply into the premises. 10. Non-return valves are fitted to prevent a reverse flow in the supply system due to the unequal pressure at which they operate. For example, if a town main having a good pressure and an elevated tank are used as water suppliers to a sprinkler system, water from the main would, unless a non-return valve were fitted, pass up the supply connecting the tank to the installation and cause it to overflow .

Fig.4.2: Section through A Non-return Valve

11. Drain Valves And Test Valves. A 40mm diameter pipe in the case of extra light hazard system and 50mm diameter in ordinary and extra high hazard systems is led from the side of the alarm valve in wet installations and from the air chamber of the differential air valve in dry or alternate system, into a drain. The pipe is fitted with a valve. This drain valve and pipe are used to drain the installation when necessary, and also to carry out pressure and flow tests.

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12. With systems being supplied by town mains, elevated reservoirs and gravity tanks, facilities must be provided to enable proving tests to be carried out at the valves on each installation. This is to verify that the water supply satisfies the requirements of pressure and rates of flow specified for the particular hazard class. The roving tests must be carried out the installing engineers at the time the system is installed and subsequently as required. The installation drain pipe work (Fig. 4.3) is specifically designed to be used for the proving test. 13. The rate of flow is controlled by manipulation of the drain valve. The actual flow is measured precisely finding the pressure loss across an orifice plate or some other approved device inserted in the drain pipe. For periodic check testing standard, test orifice must be used. This is to left in position permanently. Its purpose is to aid period check test to assess the water supply characteristics by adjustment of the pressure flow characteristics of the drain and test system to a standard form. 14. Pipe Drains. In some installation part of the sprinkler piping is below the control valves. In such cases drain cocks are fitted at the lowest parts of the pipes to enable them to be entirely drained of water when required.

Fig. 4.3: Diagram Showing the Arrangement of Installation Proving Equipment (For Extra Light Hazard) 15. Pressure Gauges. Every sprinkler system must be fitted wills a pressure gauge (Fig. 4.3) (1)) above the alarm valve, and this shown the pressure in the installation (which will be water pressure when the system is on water, and air pressure when on air). Another gauge (2) must also be fitted below the alarm and main stop valve, and this indication the water supply pressure. When a connection from town mains forms one of the duplicate water supplies, a gauge (net shown in Fig 4.3) must also be fixed on the branch from the main on the town side of the back-pressure valve. This gauge shows the pressure in the town main. The reading of this latter gauge may be lower than that of gauge (2) depending upon the pressure available from the secondary supply. A supply from a pump is also fitted with a pressure gauge on the down side of the non-return valve. 156

16. The gauges used are normally of the Bourdon tube type and confirm to British Standard 1780. There must be means provided to enable each pressure gauge to be readily removed without interruption of installation water supplies. 17. The pressure indicated on gauge (1) connected above the alarm valve is sometimes higher than that on gauge (2) below the main stop valve. This is dry to the fact that after the system has been charged with water, a rise is pressure in the town main causes the alarm valve to lift and admit pressure to the installation. When, however, the mains pressure falls again, the pressure in the installation is retained by the alarm valve which is, of course, a non-return valve. This difference in pressure sometimes results in a slight delay in the sounding of the alarm gong. When a sprinkler head opens it is necessary for the pressure in the installation to fall below that in the main before the alarm valve opens and allows water to flow to the water turbine of the alarm. 18. Alarm Devices. Every installation must be fitted with an approved water motor alarm (Fig.4.4), located as near the alarm valve as practicable. The alarm is sounded by a hammer rotated by a small pelt on wheel (more generally called a turbine) actuated as water flow into the system. The pelt on wheel is fitted inside the building, and is connected by a spindle to hate hammer which, with the gong, is positioned outside the building. 19. The gong is usually placed and close to the doorway that leads to the main stop valve. Where more installation are fitted to the same building, each has its own gong. Each gong must be numbered in hold figure to correspond with the number painted on the controlling valves of each installation. The flow of water to the turbine may also actuate an electric alarm at a central control point and so give immediate information as to the particular installation that has operated. 20. There are four causes which may produce a ranging of the alarm gong: a. b. c. The opening of a sprinkler head. The opening of a drain or test valve. Damage to any part of the installation which leads to an out flow of water.

d. A rise in the pressure of the water being supplied to the installation, thus lifting the alarm valve and allowing water to pass to the turbine operating the gong. 21. As a precaution against false alarm caused by spasmodic increases of pressure in the town mains, most alarm valves contain a small compensating device which small quantities of water to pass through to the installation without lifting the clack. The pipe to the water turbine can be fitted with a device known as a alarm delay cylinder which it comprises an air bottle fitted with a drain orifice to which the alarm valve connection is led and which the water turbine is supplied. 22. If the alarm valve clack lifts momentarily the air bottle is unlikely to fill with water, and thus false alarm is prevented. When the alarm valve risers it will causes the water drain from the delay cylinder through the drain valve. This device prevents false alarm whilst delaying to no appreciable extent the operation of the water turbine when the alarm valve clack is sustained where a sprinkler has actuated or during a periodical alarm test. Alternatively, a small semirotary hand pump can be fitted to the installation supply pipe and the pressure in the installation can be raised a little above the supply pressure by hand pumping.

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23. In a wet pipe system, the gong may continued to sound after testing owing to a piece of grit becoming lodged under the seat of the alarm valve. Opening the drain valve fully will probably cause the obstruction to be wash away. If not, it may be necessary to close the main stop valve, drain the installation, remove the valve cover and thoroughly close the alarm clack. The gong may also continue to sound if the alarm valve seat has become score or pitted so to allow water to flow continuously.

Fig.4.4: Diagram showing the arrangement of sprinkler gong and the turbine used to actuate it. 24. Electrically-Operated Alarm. Approved water flow alarm switches may be incorporated in the system pipe work above the alarm of dry pipe, valve to indicate on a central control panel particular section of the system which is operating. Electric alarm pressure switches, operated by either an increase of fall pressure, are permitted on a system to operate an auxiliary warning device, but are not accepted as a substitute for the standard water motor alarm device already referred to. 25. Transmission Of Alarm Signals To The Fire Brigade . Arrangements may be incorporated in the system for the automatic transmission of alarm signals to the fire brigade. Alarm signals may be initiated: a. By flow of water in the sprinkler system using an electric alarm pressure switch connected to the alarm valve in a similar manner to the sprinkler alarm motor. b. By using water flow alarm switches in the system pipe work above the alarm valve. c. By a fall in pressure in the system pipe work above the alarm valve.

26. Pressure switches for transmitting alarm signals to the fire brigade must be of the diaphragm, bellows or Bourdon tube operated type and must be sufficiently sensitive to operate when only one sprinkler is actuated. 27. If the connection to the fire brigade is served at any time as, for example, during hydraulic testing, attention must be drawn warning lights linked to a buzzer with water supplies which are subject to fluctuation in pressure. 158

28. The system wiring and power supply must confirm to the requirements laid down in British Standard Code of Practice: CP 1019:1972 for Electrical Fire Alarm. A test of: a. b. The fire brigade connections. The circuit between the alarm switch and the control units.

c. The batteries must be made every weekday (except holidays). The first two tests need only be made once a week provided the circuits used are continuously monitored. A notice must be fixed close to the sprinkler test valves of each installation to indicate a direct alarm connection to the fire brigade. 29. On sprinkler systems where arrangements are incorporated for the automatic transmission of alarm signals to the fire brigade, the arrangements will be regarded as approved by the Fire Offices Committee if they comply with certain conditions, as follows: a. There must be either a connection directly or through a Central Fire Alarm Depot, approved by the Fire Offices Committee, or through a fire brigade Control with a local authority fire station manned by whole-time personnel, or park-time retained personnel alerted by call-out systems, and so situated an to be capable of providing an attendance at least one mobile pumping appliance within the maximum time limit of 10 minutes. b. A direct connection to a permanently manned watch room of a private fire brigade consisting of at least one officer and three men always available hydrants conforming to Fire Officers Committee (Rules). 30. The direct from the premises whether to the local authority fire station, approved Central Fire Alarm Depot or fire brigade control, must terminate in a watch room or control room permanently manned day and night. The use of automatic 999 dialing systems is not approved.

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